The invention relates generally to a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, having a power roof.
More particularly, the invention relates to a device for automatically closing the power roof of a vehicle when the occupant or occupants exit the vehicle.
It is known to provide a vehicle with a roof which can be opened and closed. The roof can be designed for manual operation or for operation by means of an electric motor. Moreover, the roof can be constructed so that opening and closing take place solely by substantially horizontal translation of the roof or, alternatively, so that opening and closing can be performed either by substantially horizontal translation or by rotation of the roof. In the latter case, the roof is inclined to the horizontal in the open position.
Electrically actuated or power roofs which can open and close horizontally only are controlled by two keys. One of these keys functions to open the roof while the other functions to close the roof. The keys operate a control element which can be linearly or angularly displaced between an inoperative position and two operative positions, namely, an operative position in which the roof is caused to open and an operative position in which the roof is caused to close.
Power roofs which can open and close both horizontally and rotationally are controlled by either four keys or two keys. If four keys are employed, two serve to respectively open and close the roof horizontally and two serve to respectively open and close the roof rotationally. On the other hand, when two keys are used, the function of each key depends upon the position of the roof, that is, whether the roof is closed, horizontally open or rotationally open. When the roof is closed, one of the keys functions to open the roof horizontally and one of the keys functions to open the roof rotationally. On the other hand, if the roof is open horizontally, either partially or fully, the key used for horizontal opening retains this function while the other key now becomes operative to close the roof horizontally. The two keys keep these functions until the roof is closed. Finally, when the roof is partially or fully open rotationally, the key serving for rotational opening retains this function whereas the other key operates for rotational closing of the roof. Again, the keys retain such functions until the roof is closed. Thus, the function of one key is changed upon opening the roof and also upon closing the roof. Upon opening, the key other than that which was used to open the roof undergoes a change in function whereas, upon closing, the key which closed the roof undergoes a change in function.
All roofs exhibit the drawback that the roof will remain open if the occupant or occupants forget to close the roof when leaving the vehicle.
This drawback cannot be eliminated for manually operated roofs. On the other hand, such drawback has been overcome for power roofs of the type where each operation is controlled by a separate key, i.e., power roofs of the type where horizontal opening is controlled by a first key, horizontal closing by a second key and, if the roof opens rotationally, where rotational opening is controlled by a third key and rotational closing by a fourth key. Reference may be had, for example, to the Japanese publication JP-A-60 71 330 dated Apr. 23, 1985.
In order to automate closing of a power roof where each operation is controlled by a separate key, it is sufficient to provide a means for automatically detecting the position of the roof and a means for connecting the key which controls closing of the roof from such position to the vehicle battery. However, this arrangement is not suitable for a power roof which opens both horizontally and rotationally and is controlled by only two keys so that more than one operation is performed by a single key.